Demeter's Daughter
by SerendipityDreamer
Summary: Demeter was banished from the Jellicle Junkyard because she had another tom's kitten. Now, her daughter returns to the Junkyard to find out who her real father is. "The Jellicle Bastard" doesn't have much time though and a certain cat doesn't make it any easier.
1. The Return

**Author's Note: **Hello, all! Be aware that Jemima is not Demeter's daughter in this story, but it is my OC instead. Since this is my first fanfic I would appreciate any critique so I could improve my writing. Thanks :)

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Cats! I only own my OCs!**_

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**Chapter One: The Return**

I paced in circles on the hard floor of the alleyway. It was a cold night and there was a soft breeze in the air. The moon, while only half full, shone beautifully in the sky. It was the kind of moon a cat would sing to, but I wasn't in the mood to sing tonight. I sighed, stopping in my tracks and staring up at that wonderful moon. I smiled to myself as I remembered the words to my lullaby, the lullaby that Mom had sung to me every night.

"_Memory, all alone in the moonlight_._" _

My mother had a lovely voice, it was both gentle and powerful at the same time. She would cradle me in my arms as she sang to me. I had heard that voice my entire life, but the first time I remember hearing it was when I was about six weeks old. My mother was smiling down at me as she rocked me in her arms.

_"Daylight, I must wait for the sunrise."_

I didn't know until much later that my lullaby was sung by another cat, Grizabella. That cat, Grizabella, was sent to the Heaviside. My mother, though, she was sent away. I was too young to know, but that night was the night she was banished from the Junkyard. She would never see her home again and it was all because of me.

No, I couldn't think like that. I shook my head and stared up at the entrance to the Jellicle Junkyard. I didn't know how the other cats would react, scratch that, I knew exactly how they would react. I had heard other cats whisper about me, I had seen the glares ever since I was a little kitten. I was the daughter of a whore and once in a while called the devil's spawn, but the name I heard the most was the "Jellicle bastard." A paw went to the right side of my face. I rubbed my cheek softly, thinking about the ginger patch of fur that resided there. Over the years, I had grown fond of my ginger fur, it was a defining trait compared to the black and gold fur that covered the rest of my body. While I had grown prideful of my ginger fur, I grew to resent it as well. Everyone who saw my ginger patch of fur assumed that Macavity was my father. My mother never told me much, but I was positive it wasn't _him._

I took a deep breath and wrung my hands. What was I doing here? Why was I standing in front of the Jellicle Junkyard? Why wasn't I turning around? I kept asking myself these questions, but I already knew the answer. It was for my mother. After her banishment from the junkyard, she had become proud. While I was insulted by the whispers and the dirty looks, my mother embraced them.

"_I must think of a new life, and I musn't give in."_

I admired her for the way she composed herself. She wanted to raise me as her own. She didn't want to remember what had happened, instead she lived for me, for us.

___"When the dawn comes, tonight will be a memory, too. And a new day will begin."_

I may have been here for my mother, but I was here for myself, too. I wanted to find out who my father was. I loved my mother for the way she could ignore the taunts of the other cats, but I didn't want to hear the whispers anymore. I was avenging myself and my mother. I clenched my hands into fists and began to walk forwards. I was going to enter the Jellicle Junkyard and I wasn't going to turn back now.

The piles of trash created pathways throughout the junkyard. I could hear the chatter of other cats coming from the center of the Junkyard. My heart began to beat faster and my steps grew larger. I contemplated turning around, leaving behind this stupid idea. In my heart, though, I knew it wasn't a stupid idea. I needed this. I continued to walk at a quickened pace, and soon I saw a clearing ahead of me. As I came closer to the clearing ahead, the previously loud chatter had turned into a faint whisper. They could sense my approach, and I could already sense their hostility. I almost turned around, but I mustered up my courage, the courage instilled into me by my mother, and stepped into the clearing.

When I was fully exposed to the other cats, nothing moved. I stole quick glances at the other cats. I saw a tuxedo tom to my left staring at me, as were the kittens he was entertaining. An orange, white, and black striped tom stood possessively in front of a small red queen just right of the tuxedo tom. A tall orange tabby stood on a tire with pure hatred in his eyes, while the white queen that sat by him looked at me with nothing more than curiosity. A group of queens sat clustered together on the hood of a car, all of them looking at me with disgust. I was so busy observing the cats around me that I didn't notice the silver tabby that was approaching me.

"What the hell are you doing here?" the tabby growled.

The silver tabby was only a few inches taller than me, but I was shocked the moment I stared into his pale grey eyes. My mother had described her former mate to me. She had described his smooth silver coat and the dark gray stripes that accented his body. She seemed absolutely in love with him, but I knew more. I knew that he wronged my mother and that he helped her get kicked out of the Junkyard. My mother may have forgiven him, but I had grown to resent him.

The anger in his eyes brought me back to reality, so I responded calmly, "I think you know why I'm here, _Munkustrap_."

A chorus of murmurs and gasps erupted from the cats. No one, not even Munkustrap himself, expected me to know his name. I smirked in spite of myself, but I was no closer to winning this fight.

Munkustrap glared at me with even more anger. His eyes searched my face, wondering how much I knew about him. I kept my poker face, turning my smirk into an ice cold glare. This time he hissed before speaking to me, "I suggest you turn around before I resort to using force."

"Not a chance," I replied. I was cocky, yes, but I could see he was faltering. I saw Munkustrap's claws come out so I decided to give one final push, "My mother wanted me to come back."

The next thing I knew, I was rolling onto the floor with claws flying in my face. I had hissed sharply as I felt claws digging into the right side of my face. I pounced at him, but he used my weight against me and flipped me over. As I tried to gain my footing, I ended up being pinned to the ground. I swung blindly, but my claws only struck the air. He gripped my shoulders and I hissed again as claws dug into my arm. I desperately kicked at his stomach hoping to put him off balance so I could escape his grasp. My foot made contact with his groin, sending him backwards off my body. I stood up and pounced again. He kept me from pinning him, but I landed properly this time, hitting him twice in the chest. I was preparing to swing at his face, but I was pulled back by two muscular arms.

My instincts told me to struggle, but when I realized I wasn't being attacked, I allowed myself to relax. Munkustrap had stood up glaring in my direction. It took me a moment to realize he wasn't staring at me, but at the person holding me. I turned around to face my captor, and was greeted by a patched black and white tom. He had large patch of black n his right eye and a black accent on the left side of his mouth. He was about a head taller than me and he was strong enough to keep me from moving. He glanced down at me quickly before turning to Munkustrap. He spoke sternly, as if he was reprimanding a child, "That was uncalled for Munkus."

Munkustrap looked up from his wounds and spat at the tom behind me, or maybe he spat at me, I don't know. I was much more interested in the fight going on in front me. Why was this patched tom protecting me, and why was he fighting Munkustrap? Wasn't Munkustrap the head of the Jellicle Junkyard? Munkustrap stepped forward on his right foot and pointed an accusing finger at the patched tom, "You shouldn't have stopped me, Lonz," Munkustrap growled.

"Lonz" shook his head and calmly answered, "She didn't do anything wrong. And besides, it's about time someone stopped you."

"He's right." I turned around once again to see a curvy red female walking up to my side. She was mostly red and yellow, but she had black stripes which accented her fur beautifully. She gave me the same glance that Lonz gave me and continued to speak, "You attacked her first. We should treat her with respect, especially after what happened with Demeter."

My ears perked at the mention of my mother. It was obvious Munkustrap and plenty of other cats hated me, but why did these cats support me? And what exactly happened to my mother? Lonz had released me and began to speak to the red queen, "Bomba, don't get involved."

"I can involve myself in anything I want to, Alonzo." the queen replied.

Munkustrap shook his head, glaring at me. I glared back, earning a low growl from him. He was about to start talking again when another voice spoke out, "Munkus, if you kick this poor queen out of the yard you will regret it."

I turned to face the voice, only to see a short, stout, queen wagging her finger at Munkustrap. She had cream fur and tiger stripes the shade of a muted orange. Had I been Munkustrap, I wouldn't have been intimidated. This queen, however, seemed to hold a lot of weight in the Junkyard. Munkustrap's eyes widened as he stood up right, obviously surprised my the queen's comment. Alonzo looked a bit surprised as well. The tabby looked to Alonzo and began to speak, "You're not the only one who wants to do right, Alonzo." I was quite confused by her comment. Who was she doing right by? My mother or me? Alonzo nodded, taking a stance next to the two queens, leaving me as confused as ever.

Munkustrap looked at the four of us. He glared at each of us individually, his eyes changing to a different form of anger and confusion with each cat he looked at.

Another voice, much more timid that the others, spoke from my right side, "It certainly wouldn't help us respect you." This voice came from the white queen, the one who had looked so curious before. The orange tabby she had once sat next to looked at her from across the yard. His face showed confusion, yet his eyes held the fire of anger.

"Give her a chance, Munkus." This time a tom spoke up. I looked to see the tuxedo tom approaching me. The kittens near him pawed at his ankles, but he continued walking towards me. The kittens were held back by an older white and brown queen.

I had never expected such a response from the cats in the junkyard. If anything, I thought everyone would have behaved as Munkustrap had. Yet, I was standing here, surrounded by six supportive cats, facing down the shocked silver tabby.

Munkustrap, with intense hate in eyes, shook his head. He surely felt defeated, so he spoke in a low tone, "She can stay, but Old Deuteronomy will decide her fate." He stalked away, but now I was even more confused. Wasn't Old Deuteronomy the Jellicle ruler? As far as I knew he barely visited the Jellicle Junkyard.

The rest of the cats dispersed, but not without harsh whispers and evil glares. As soon as everyone was gone, the stout tabby smiled and patted me on the shoulder, "Are you all right, dearie?"

"Yeah," I whispered, "and thank you." I felt stupid, but I couldn't think of anything else to say.

"It was no no problem, sweetie. If you need anything, just come and find Jennyanydots." Jenny patted my shoulder once again and gestured towards Alonzo.

"Jenny can help you with anything," Alonzo said, "but come to me if someone bothers you."

"Don't tell her that, Lonz," the red queen said, "she'll be a nervous wreck."

"Um, excuse me?" I asked. All the cats turned to face me, so I started to speak again, "It's all well and good that you want to protect me, but I am really confused right now."

"That would make sense," Alonzo replied, "I'm Alonzo and this is Bombalurina." He gestured to the red queen who gave a quick nod.

The white queen spoke up next, "My name is Victoria." She gestured to the tuxedo tom, the only cat who hadn't spoken yet.

"I'm Mr. Mistoffelees, but everyone calls me Misto," the tuxedo tom said extending his hand. I shook it, and felt a small spark. Misto blushed before he pulled his hand away, muttering something about magic. I cocked my head to the side. I had never really met a magical cat before, so I wondered why his powers had set off and shocked me.

"What's your name?" Alonzo asked.

I had never even thought to tell them my name, but I spoke confidently, "Jezzabella."

Alonzo nodded, thinking before he spoke again, "You need a place to stay. Victoria is out of the question and Jenny's den is too small, so you'll stay with Bomba."

"What about our den?" Misto asked.

"Our den is small enough with the two of us living there," Alonzo said, "and besides, Bomba was Demeter's best friend."

This was new information to me. Mom had told me about the other cats in the yard, and Bombalurina had seemed familiar, but she never told her relationships with the others cats. Munkustrap, of course, was an exception. I complied, since I really couldn't go anywhere else. Bomba, however, seemed pleased to have me as a guest in her home. She smiled at me and, out of pure respect, I smiled back.

That cats bade me goodbye, each one of them either shaking my hand or patting me on the shoulder. Misto preferred to hang back from the rest of the cats. Maybe he didn't want to shock me again, but I smiled at him as Bomba and I began to walk to her den. Misto waved at me before he chased after Alonzo. I wondered what he was doing, but I didn't have much time to wonder because Bomba began to speak to me, "It must be very confusing to be here, huh?"

"You can say that again," I sighed. Bomba chuckled softly and I started to speak again, "Alonzo said you were my mom's best friend."

Bomba nodded, "We were very close as kittens and I supported her after you were born."

"How so?"

"Did your mother ever explain to you why she left the Junkyard?"

"She only told me who Munkustrap was and that I was part of the reason she wanted to leave."

Bomba stopped for a moment before answering, "You mother was always proud. She never liked to say she was banished from the Junkyard."

"I already knew that," I replied, "That's why I'm here now. I want to know who my father is."

Bomba shook her head, "She never told anyone who your father was. The only thing anyone knew was that you didn't belong to Munkus."

"Everyone assumed I belonged to Macavity instead."

Bomba smirked, "You're a smart girl."

"I have ears, and I can here every rude name I'm called." I was blunt, but I never liked talking about how other cats would treat me.

Bomba understood how I felt, so she decided to change the subject, "You should get along well with my kittens."

I was a bit surprised at the fact that Bomba had kittens, she appeared so young. "What are there names?"

"The oldest is Genesis, while the younger twins are Lilianna and Dewey."

"They won't hate me, too?"

"My children won't be a problem, it's my mate you should be worried about."

I was afraid to ask why her mate would be a problem, so we walked in silence for the rest of the way. It didn't take long before I saw the entrance to the den and the three cats that sat at its entrance.

One of the cats, a queen, stepped up to me and held out her paw. She had an entirely black body with golden accents. She had curving red lines along her eyes and mouth. "Nice to meet you. My name is Gen." the queen smiled and I shook her paw.

"Jezzabella," I replied.

The other two cats came up to me. The tom introduced himself as Dewey. He had golden fur and leopard spots on his chest. Red fur accented the spots, while a golden curl resided near his left ear. The other queen introduced herself as Lili. Lili was identical to Dewey, the exception being the red curl near her right ear and the black spots on her cheeks. While the girls did seem to resemble their mother, I can only assume that they took after there father by the way of appearance.

Bomba had tapped me on the shoulder, taking me out of the conversation, "I think we should take care of your wounds, Jezzabella."

I had completely forgotten about the cuts on my arm and and face, so I said goodbye to the cats before Bomba led me to a small room deeper inside the den. She sat me down on a small cushion before she went to get water to clean my wounds. I looked around the room. The wall was lined with mismatched pieces of wallpaper. Across from me was a small lamp with a flowered cover. The cushion I was sitting on was maroon. I ran my paw across the surface, feeling the soft fabric beneath me.

Bomba came back into the room with a bowl of water and a white towel. Bomba scraped away the dry blood before cleaning my wounds directly. I cringed as she pressed on the raw cuts. Once she had finished on my arm, she moved on to my face. She shook her head and muttered, "I can't believe Munkus would do this."

I clenched my jaw at the pain, but spoke through gritted teeth, "He seems like a bit of a bastard."

"He can be," she replied. She had finished cleaning my face and placed the reddened towel in the bowl of dirty water.

"Speaking of Munkustrap," I began, "what did he mean when he said Old Deuteronomy was going to decide 'my fate'?"

Bomba sat up straight before she answered, "Well, Old Deuteronomy is the Jellicle leader, and he rules on very important matters."

"You mean matters of a bastard child?"

"No," she replied, holding my hand, "He acts as an intermediate."

"So, since everyone in the yard hates me, he could give me a fair trial?" I asked. If I was lucky, Maybe I could stay long enough to find my father.

Bomba sighed, looking me in the eyes, "It's not exactly fair."

My ears drooped, "How so?"

"Munkustrap is Old Deuteronomy's son."

My eyes widened and my ears perked, "Bullshit." I pulled my hand away from Bomba and stood up, "So all Munkustrap has to do is convince his father that I shouldn't be here."

"That's what happened to Demeter."

I couldn't believe it, I was screwed. I came in here to find my father and I was going to walk out no better than when I came in. And it was all because of relations. I started wringing my hands again, "What can I do?"

Bomba stood up shook her head, "Not much, but if you can find your father before Old Deuteronomy comes..."

"I could have a chance." My eyes widened and I gripped Bomba on the shoulders, "You have to help me find him."

Bomba smiled, "I will, don't worry." She hugged me and whispered in my ear, "Get some rest."

I pulled back and shook my head, "I can't, now."

"But you will." Bomba replied sternly, pulling me back to the cushion and sitting me down. I didn't want to rest, I wanted to find my father. Bomba gently pushed my shoulders, laying me down on the cushion. As my head met the soft fabric, my eyelids suddenly felt heavy. All the excitement of today had left me absolutely exhausted. I could barely keep my eyes open when Bomba whispered again, "Welcome home, Jezzabella."

I smiled. Deep in my heart, I wanted to believe this was my home, that this was where I was meant to stay. I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep.

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**Author's Note: **Chapter One complete! *high fives self* Chapter Two is in the works and please any reviews are appreciated.

Yours till the milk shakes,

SerendipityDreamer


	2. Making Friends

**Author's Note: **Chapter Two, Woot! Thanks for Cocobutterrox and eld mcm for reviewing and for anyone else who has read my story. I am so excited to write this story and I hope you guys will enjoy it to. Commence with the reading!

_**Disclaimer: I don't own CATS! I only own my OCs!**_

:":":":":

**Chapter Two: Making Friends**

I woke up the next day, stretching my arms over my head and letting out a great yawn. When I opened my eyes, I half expected to be greeted my the familiar damp walls of an alleyway, but it didn't take long for me to remember where I was. I was surrounded by the four walls I fell asleep with, the walls with different patches of wallpaper. It was strange to be in a den where it was always going to be safe and warm. Mom and I had drifted through the streets of London for years, and I had only been in a real den no more than ten times. As I sat on the soft cushion that was my bed, I couldn't help but feel a bit out of place. Instead of focusing on what was different, I focused on what I already knew. I let my mind drift back to yesterday's events. I ran through the day in my mind, the cats that I saw, the fight against Munkustrap, the conversations I had, but out of all that, five particular words stayed fresh in my mind,

_"Munkustrap is Old Deuteronomy's son."_

My eyes squeezed shut and clenched my fists at the memory, but I'll be damned if I wasn't going to find my father. I had come this far, and I sure wasn't going to let Munkustrap stop me.

"Are you okay, Jezzabella?" My eyes opened and I saw Genesis standing outside the doorway to my room. Her arms were crossed over chest as she took a step inside the room, "You looked like you were in pain."

Was I in pain? I mean, take any other cat in the Junkyard that I was my age and I had experienced a hell of a lot more. I had lived on the streets most of my life, and everyone knew me as the Jellicle Bastard. I had gotten into my fair share of fights and I had also spent quite a few nights with other toms if you know what I mean. I never had innocence, it was already taken away once I was born. How could I explain this to Gen? She had been protected, looked after, and most importantly she had innocence. I decided to make my response as simple as possible, "I was just thinking, Gen."

"You're going to ruin your mind if you think too much," Gen replied. I glanced up at her to see if she was kidding, but she just shrugged her shoulders, "It's pretty simple. When you're mind dwells on something too long, it's like a poison. Pretty soon, you'll be obsessed and your mind will be ruined."

I couldn't help but chuckle. Maybe she wasn't as innocent as I thought, or maybe she just had common sense, spiced up with a bit of honesty. Depending on how you handled yourself, those two traits could either work in your favor or get you killed.

A low rumbling broke through the silence, and took me a minute to realize it was my stomach. I was practically starving. I was about to ask about food when Gen beckoned me over. There was that common sense again, but it didn't take much to figure out I was hungry. I followed her into the main room of the den, where not long ago Bomba had properly initiated me in her home.

The twins, Lilianna and Dewey, sat across from each other on a small couch, each of them eating a small mouse. Lili was the first to notice me, so she gave me a small wave and a big smile, "Mornin' Jezzabella. Sleep well?"

I waved back and answered, "Just fine, thanks," I looked to Dewey, who seemed much more absorbed in his food, "And how are you this morning, Dewey?"

His ears perked as he looked back at me. His hazel eyes were surprised, searching my face for something. Maybe he was used to being behind the scenes. An observer instead of a performer. He nodded quickly and whispered, "Just fine, thanks." He looked back to his food and continued to eat.

I walked to the center of the room where food was strewn across the table. My eyes grazed over the food: rats, mice, and few small birds. I picked up a mouse, large compared to the other mice, and sat next to Gen, who had taken a rat for herself, on another couch. I had finally taken time to observe the room. Aside from the small table and the two couches, there wasn't much else to the room. The room had natural lighting coming from the entrance. The walls were, once again, plastered with mismatched wallpaper. I had to wonder if most dens were set up like this, a few places to sit, a light, and mismatched wallpaper. It wouldn't be very exciting, but it would be interesting to find the differences between dens. Out of everything I did notice, there was something, or someone, missing.

"Where's Bomba?" I asked while politely devouring my mouse.

"She's chasing down Dad," Gen replied.

"Care to elaborate?" I asked.

"Dad doesn't entirely like you staying here." Dewey said from across the room. I hadn't expected him to talk, but the way answered showed that he was paying attention.

"Doesn't sound good." I answered, glancing at Gen. All I got in response was another shrug of her shoulders.

"It was horrible!" Lili yelled, jumping down from her spot on the couch, "I thought you'd wake up from all the screaming."

"Was it really _that_ bad?" I whispered, putting down my mouse. I was still starving, but I wanted to know if I was endangering a family, specifically Bomba's family. She had been so nice to me, and I didn't want to be the reason her mate hated her.

"Dad was pretty pissed off," Gen said, "but Mom can be persuasive, so don't worry about it." She replied with a gentle smile. She could tell I wasn't convinced, so she started to speak again, "Look, you really shouldn't worry. Mom wouldn't have taken you in if she knew she couldn't handle Dad."

I shook my head and smiled again. At least Gen was honest. The rest of our meal was eaten in semi-silence. While Gen and I remained quiet, Dewey and Lilianna continued to whisper to each other. Perhaps it was a twin thing, always talking to each other. I always thought having a twin was like having a built in best friend, but maybe it was an even closer connection. As much as I loved staying in the den and making observations about Bomba's kittens, I wanted to explore. Maybe it was in my blood, or maybe I wanted to find my father, but I was itching to get out of the den.

I finished off my mouse and stood up, looking to Gen, "Do you mind if I go outside?"

She shook her head, "I don't think it's a good idea."

Now I was condemning that honesty I admired not long ago. I was about to defend myself, tell her that I could handle any situation thrown at me, but she started to speak again, "You can go, though."

I raised an eyebrow, "You just said I couldn't go."

Gen cocked her head to the side, "I never said you couldn't go, I just said it wasn't a good idea." She smiled knowingly and I started to appreciate that honesty again.  
I smiled back and nodded my head in understanding. I liked Gen and she seemed to like me, too.

I was about to walk outside when Lili grabbed my wrist, "You're not really gonna go, are you?" I turned to look at her, staring into her hazel eyes. They looked sad, so I turned around to face her completely, "I'll be safe, but just so you know, I can handle myself in a fight."

She bit her lip than spoke again, "I know that, so you could easily get into another fight."

I smirked in spite of myself. I had a bit of fight in me, but I didn't want to scare Lili half to death, so I spoke softly, "I promise you, I won't get in a fight."

Lili's eyes still showed that nervousness, but she let go of my wrist and nodded, "O.K."

I put a hand on her shoulder and I saw that nervousness loosen up. If I wasn't mistaken, her eyes showed kindness. I smiled again before I walked outside the den into the bright sunlight. I had a home, even if it was temporary, and people who cared about me. If I was counting correctly, I now had ten cats who were on my side. I was feeling good, so I decided to do something I loved, explore. While living in the alleys of London and being shunned by the other cats, I had a lot of free time. So much time in fact, that in a matter of days I would have discovered every nook, every cranny, the best shortcuts, and the easiest path across the rooftops.

My walk soon broke into a slow jog. I was far enough away from Bomba's den that I had entered those junk pathways I encountered on my first day in the yard. As I wove through the paths with ease I quickly developed my own rhythm. Pretty soon, my bobbing and weaving transformed into a small dance. I spread my arms as I leapt across a pile of trash on the ground. I landed on one foot and moved into a tight twirl. As I landed on my two feet with my arms stretched in front of me, I smiled. I hadn't danced in a long time, I can't even remember the last time.

My smile faded when I heard joyful chatter. Apparently I had wandered pretty close to the central hub of the Junkyard, close enough that I could see the other cats. Right now, I didn't think it was a good idea to "expose" myself to the Junkyard yet. Although I didn't have to introduce myself, everyone assumed that they knew who I was. I promised Lili that I wasn't going to get into a fight, and I was going to keep that promise. I slunk away from the center of the Junkyard, careful not to alert any of the cats to my presence. As sound became more distant, I slowly picked up my pace. Once I thought I was far enough, I stopped. I looked around, completely unsure of my surroundings. I wasn't about to scream for help, I had enough pride to get myself out of a situation I got myself in to. There was a small pathway to my right, so I decided to follow it. I had no way of knowing if this path was going to lead me back to familiar territory, but if I did stay lost, I was going to put my faith in Bomba. She would get worried and start looking for me.

Luckily, I saw another clearing ahead of me, although it appeared much smaller than the first. I stepped through to see the clearing to its entirety, but it was a bit of a disappointment. It was a quarter of the size of the main clearing and its only attraction was what appeared to be a slide, the kind human children played on. There was one interesting object though, and it took the shape of a tuxedo tom.

"Dammit." The tuxedo tom's paws were surrounded in wispy white smoke. My eyes widened, concerned for the safety of his hands. I looked closer, but his hands didn't look burnt. He started muttering to himself, and his hands were surrounded my a soft blue light. Next thing I knew, the smoke was gone. How did he do that? I decided to stop wondering though, and just get to know him instead.

"Hey!" I took a few steps into the yard as the tuxedo tom's body stiffened. He turned to face me and I quickly recognized him, "Your name's Misto, right?"

The tom's blue eyes met mine and I saw that he recognized my face, too. I guess that was a good thing because when I first called out to him he looked terrified. He allowed his body to relax and said in low voice, "Yeah, that's me."

He made no advancement to say my name, so I decided to poke fun at him, "So who am I?"

That terrified look came back. He recognized my face, but he didn't remember my name. "You are," he said, obviously struggling, "a cat...that has...a name." As he finished his sentence lifted his chin. He was feigning confidence, so I decided to play along.

I gasped, bringing a paw to my mouth, "How'd you know!?"

Misto smiled, his demeanor becoming relaxed again. His smile was both cocky and shy at the time. I don't know how, but he pulled it off beautifully. He shrugged his shoulders and said, "I am magical after all."

I nodded, a condescending nod, but a nod nonetheless, "My name's Jezzabella."

There was that smile again, "Well that's the problem."

"What?" I asked.

"Your name is too long." Misto replied coolly.

I couldn't help but chuckle, "You say my name is too long, Mister Mistoffelees?" I said, articulating each syllable of his name.

"That's why everyone calls me Misto," he replied, "you need a nickname."

"Okay then, Mr. Magical, hit me," I said as I sat down on the floor.

He shrugged his shoulders and sat down as well. He chewed his lower lip while he tried to come up with nickname for me. It was cute how his entire face changed as he started to think. His eyebrows scrunched as his eyes diverted to the floor. While some cats looked serious in thought, Misto's features were graceful. I also noticed Misto was a lot smaller than the other toms in the yard. He was about my height, but he was scrawny compared to Alonzo. He was still handsome, though. Wait, why was I checking out Misto? I shook my head and focused on the situation in front of me. That doesn't help, Misto is the one in front of me. O.K. Jezzabella, think of something else, like flowers. Tiny, colorful, and delicate flowers.

I was pulled out of my thoughts of flowers when Misto's face lit up with inspiration. He started speaking excitedly, "How about Bella?"

I pondered it for a moment, but than shook my head no. I had once meant a queen named Bella, and she was a total bitch. Bella was a name I loved to hate.

"Jezzie, then?" He said.

I took less time time to wonder and instead playfully punched him, "Only if I can call you Misty."

Misto rolled his eyes and chewed his lip again. He was running out of names, but I expected something from the magic tom. His ears perked as he looked at me happily, "What about Jez?"

"Jez," I muttered. I let the name roll off my tongue a few times before I spoke again, "I like it, it's short but sassy"

"Well, Jez," Misto said with a smirk, "now that we've decided your name, is there anything else that needs to be discussed?"

"Why yes," I said, leaning back on my arms, "What was with the smoking hands earlier?"

Misto looked confused for a second before he realized what I had meant. He answered my question calmly, "That was my magic."

"Do you say 'dammit' a lot when you perform magic?" I said with a smirk.

Misto shook his head, "I only say it when a spell backfires." Misto started to stand up and I followed him.

I was still curious so I asked another question, "So what was with the blue aura?"

"Healing spell," he replied. He walked towards the human slide, absently rubbing his paw against it.

I stepped up behind until we were about an arms length from each other. I needed to say one more thing, "Can I see some magic?"

Misto turned to me and smiled again, that cocky shy smile which seemed to be his signature, and cracked his knuckles. I didn't need him to say yes, so I stepped back and allowed Misto space to let the magic happen. Instead he looked at me and started to talk, "You can come see the show tomorrow."

I cocked my head to the side, "What show?"

Misto's smile grew wider as he jumped up onto the slide. He walked to the top and turned to face me, "Come here tomorrow and you can see." With that, he snapped his fingers and disappeared in a glittery cloud. It wasn't the manliest way to dissappear, but it was still cool.

As I stood at the foot of the slide, I realized I was still completely lost. I should have asked Misto how to get back to Bomba's den, because there was no way I was making it back there on my own. I had contented myself to wandering through the Junkyard when I heard a voice call out to me, "Jezzabella!"

I turned to see Lilianna running toward me. When she close enough to me, she doubled over, completely out of breath.

I gripped her shoulders and pulled her up, "Lili, what happened?"

Lili's eyes met mine and I saw pure fear in her eyes. "It's Mom and Dad," she whispered.

Dammit, I knew I was going to cause a problem. I nodded to Lili and she led me through the piles of junk. Considering she had just sprinted here to find me, Lili had continued to pick up speed. I was afraid she might pass out, but fear produced adrenaline, and adrenaline produced a seemingly limitless supply of energy. When Lili had pulled me through the maze that was the Junkyard, I could hear yelling coming from the den.

When I could see the entrance, Bomba and her mate were standing across from each other. Bomba yelling very derogatory terms while her mate said something along the lines of "that fucking bastard child." I stood there numb next to Lili. I really didn't expect this much anger, and I felt even worse that I was the reason for it.

Bomba was the first to notice me, and when she did she brought her paws to her mouth. She hadn't meant for me to hear the fight. When her mate noticed me, I could see fire in his eyes. He marched toward me until we were mere inches apart. He was entirely black, with leopard spots and a beautiful golden mane. If he wasn't about to rip my face off, I might have admired him for his looks.

"Listen you bastard," he growled, "you get in my way and I will have no second thoughts about throwing you out on the streets where you belong." He pushed past me and walked out into the Junkyard.

My eyes followed him for a moment before I turned to Bomba. Her paws were still over her mouth, but now there were tears in her eyes. She looked down as a tear rolled down her cheek. "I'm sorry," she muttered.

Lili ran to her mother and gave her a tight hug. I needed a hug, too. I couldn't believe that I hadn't been killed, but I just ruined a family. I never meant for meant for that.

Lili glanced in my direction. She must have seen my distress, so she extended an arm, "Jezzabella?"

I shook my head. I couldn't stay here. I couldn't impose on the life they had. "Goodbye," I whispered. I turned and ran out of the den. I hated to abandon them like that, but I couldn't stay. I ran blindly for I don't know how long. I had tripped and stumbled the entire time, taking random turns when anything blocked my path. Once I had run out of breath, I looked at my surroundings. Sure enough, I was lost again.

I fell onto the floor and curled up in a ball. What was I going to do now? I had no where to stay. I could leave the Junkyard, but that would make me a quitter. Wasn't I already a quitter? I just ran out of the one family who gave me shelter. I groaned and pulled at my head fur. I had just screwed myself over. Who could I turn to? No one's going to bother wasting their time on me.

"Wait," I said out loud as I sat up, "Misto!" I started to run off in another direction. He was the first person I had connected to besides Bomba and her family, but it was going to take some time to find him.

:":":":":

**Author's Note:** Chapter two is done! During the week, I can only write at night and my weekends are busy too, so I only write a few hours at a time. I'll work as fast as I can for chapter three and a few other stories that I have in my head. Speaking of things in my head...

Hey, I just met you,

and this crazy,

but here's my fanfic,

review it maybe.

:)

Yours till the post cards,

SerendipityDreamer


	3. An Important Message

**Author's Note:** Thanks to Cocobutterrox, eld mcm, Phantom's Ange, and star7k for reviewing, to my 3 followers, and to anyone else who has read my story. Reviews are appreciated, but I'm happy knowing that people are even reading my story. I am so sorry! I was procrastinating this story and then when I did want to right I had stinkin' school to attend...(damn you learning) Continue with the reading!

_**Disclaimer: I don't own CATS! I only own my OCs!**_

:":":":":

**Chapter Three: An Important Message****  
**

"Misto!" I had been shouting at the top of my lungs for nearly five minutes and my voice was starting to get hoarse. I was walking through the yard, not entirely sure of where I was, looking for the one cat who could give me shelter. I shook my head in defeat. I shouldn't have ran out of Bomba's den the way I did. She would have let me stay, but would I have let myself stay? I just ruined a family, could I really live with myself? I was lost, and in more ways than one. I was looking for my father, looking for a place to stay, and looking for my sanity. Unless a miracle was going to happen, I was going to stay lost.

"Jezzabella, is that you?"

Well, here's my miracle.

I looked up to see a patched black and white tom, perched on dumpster. He wasn't Misto, but he was probably the next best thing. Alonzo jumped down and landed next to me on the pavement. He cocked is head and studied my face, searching for signs of distress. It wasn't very difficult for him though, my fur was a mess and my eyes were probably bloodshot.

Alonzo shook his head a looked at me, "What the hell happened?" He spoke like a concerned parent would speak to their child, similar to how he yelled at Munkustrap yesterday.

I knew I didn't have to say much, so I looked into his eyes, a beautiful shade of blue just like Misto's, and whispered, "Bomba's mate."

Alonzo's demeanor changed from concerned to outrage, and I saw the same change in his eyes. He turned away from me and balled his hands into fists before he muttered under his breath, "Everlasting, Tugger."

"Who's Tugger?" I asked, although I could've answered the question myself.

Alonzo looked over his shoulder at me, "The Rum Tum Tugger to be exact. He's Bomba's mate," Alonzo's posture was stiff as he looked at me over his shoulder, but his eyes were sad. Was he sorry for me or was he wondering what exactly Tugger had done? "Did he hurt you?"

I shook my head, "No, but I don't think he would mind hurting me." Maybe it wasn't the best thing to say, but I wanted to be honest with Alonzo. I had faith that he was going to help me.

Alonzo nodded and turned to face me, some of the tension leaving his body, "Did he kick you out of the den?"

"I left on my own, but I didn't take much convincing."

Alonzo nodded once more and stroked his chin. He was deep in thought, probably trying to figure out what to do with me. Hell, I didn't know what to do with myself, so I was going to trust Alonzo with this situation. His eyes sparked as he came up with a solution. He grabbed my wrist and led me through the weaving paths of trash. I didn't know where I was being led, but anywhere was better than where I was now. I couldn't go to Bomba because of her mate, Misto had disappeared in a cloud of glitter, and I didn't know where anyone else was, so Alonzo was my last resort.

We arose out of the piles of trash into the center of the Junkyard. I hadn't even known I had come so close to the center, and if I had known, I certainly would have kept my distance. So, why was Alonzo bringing me here? Luckily, there were few cats in the area, but I'm sure Alonzo would have protected me had I been threatened. An orange, white, and black queen was sun-bathing on the tire, and a white and brown tom sat nearby playing with a few young kittens. Everyone, however, was far too involved in their own personal matters to acknowledge me. It was ironic, actually. When I was making a fuss, like when Munkustrap attacked me, every cat seemed to care. Now, though, they could care less about me. I wasn't threatening them or their protector. Alonzo stopped us in front of the trunk of a car before giving three swift knocks on its hood.

There was a lot of shuffling coming from inside the trunk before a cheery voice called out, "Come on in, dearie."

I recognized the voice, although her cheerful tone would be hard to mistake. Alonzo lifted the trunk of the car, revealing a red curtain underneath it. He gestured in front of him and nodded, "After you, Jezzabella."

"Such a gentleman," I replied with a smile.

I stepped inside the trunk and reached out to touch the velvety curtain. As I pulled the curtain away, I was surprised to find a brightly lit and well furnished den. The walls were still adorned with mismatched wallpaper, as I expected. In the center of the room was a circular white rug and a small brown table sat on top of it. Two large cushions sat against the left side of the den. On the right side sat an extremely large couch, large enough to sit about six cats. A small lamp stood in the back of the room, and next to the lamp was the familiar short, stout queen with a small bowl in her hands.

Jenny's ears perked when she saw us. While she did seem excited, she sensed that Alonzo and I were here for a reason. She walked towards us, placing the bowl on the table, and stopped in front of Alonzo.

"Hello, Jenny," Alonzo said, "Do you have a minute?" He tried to play it cool, but Jenny saw right through Alonzo's ploy.

"Stop beating around the bush and tell me why you're here, Lonz." She spoke sternly and I could see Alonzo falter a little under her gaze. I had to hold back a smirk. How did Jenny, a kind and matronly queen, strike fear into to the hearts of cats like Alonzo and Munkustrap?

Alonzo glanced at me, silently asking if I wanted to speak. When I shook my head, he looked to Jenny, "Tugger threatened her, Jenny."

Jenny eyes widened and her head reared back in disgust, "He did? Well, I'm going to have to talk to him." She started to push past Alonzo and me, but Alonzo grabbed her shoulder.

Jenny glared back at Alonzo, who merely shook his head in return. Alonzo eyes pleaded with Jenny's as he spoke, "Pissing off Tugger even more won't help matters."

Jenny completely turned to face Alonzo, her eyes lighting up with the fire of anger, "I can't just stand by and do nothing, Alonzo." She spat the words, inching closer to Alonzo's face.

"You can get as angry as you want later, Jenny," Alonzo yelled, "I don't care if you cut Tugger's mane off, but right now you have to stay quiet!"

The shouting went back and forth. Jenny shouted something along the lines of doing what's right, while Alonzo yelled that the right thing to do was to wait. It was like watching a piece of string. I watched the argument move back and forth, but it never stopped. I felt absolutely wonderful right now. I was hated by most of the Junkyard, I ruined a family, and now I was causing a blow-up between Jenny and Alonzo. Yep, I really was a winner.

I couldn't take it anymore so I had to shout at the top of my lungs, "Can you both be quiet!?" Both cats stared at me with shock. I looked between the two of them and when neither of them decided to respond to my outburst I continued to speak, "I really appreciate that you guys want to help me, but can we just drop everything?" My voice grew softer until it was barely above a whisper.

Jenny looked confused, but spoke softly, "Sweetie, Tugger shouldn't have behaved that way."

"I know that," I replied, "but I can deal with harsh words. I've dealt with them my whole life, so I can handle it now."

Jenny searched my face before she answered, "You're strong, just like your mother."

I nodded, not wanting to speak anymore. Everyone had such positive things to say about my mother, but they were always said with that sad undertone. She was strong and proud, but only because she had a bastard child.

Alonzo sensed that I wasn't going to speak, so he picked up the conversation, "Jenny, do you think Jezzabella can stay with you for awhile?"

"You know I don't have much room in here, Lonz," Jenny replied. All the anger from before had left her body as she talked to Alonzo. It was a huge change from the screaming that happened a minute ago, but I was glad the conversation was moving forward.

Alonzo nodded, "I know, I just don't have many options, Jenny."

I started chewing my lip as Alonzo spoke. I was already causing more trouble for Alonzo. He's trying to find me a place to stay, but then I had to leave the last place he sent me. What's to say I won't have to do the same thing again?

Jenny opened her mouth to speak, but before she could answer Alonzo, there were three swift knocks on the hood of the car.

This time though, Jenny didn't invite the cat inside. We all looked to the large red curtain as an orange, white, and black striped tom stepped through the curtain. He looked like the queen that was sunbathing earlier, perhaps they were related. He looked to Jenny first, but his ears perked as he noticed Alonzo for the first time. He glanced at me out of the corner of his eye, giving me a predatory look. Giving me the cold shoulder, he faced Alonzo completely before speaking, "Aye, Lonzie, oi been lookin' all ovah fo' ya." He had a cockney accent, far different from the voices of who I've already met in the Junkyard.

"Jerrie, I'm kinda busy," Alonzo replied, gesturing towards Jenny and me.

The tom's eyes narrowed as they fell upon me once again. Merely to piss him off, I barred a fang. He returned the gesture before turning to Jenny and giving her a small nod of respect. He faced Alonzo once more, "It's gawtta be 'ard ta 'andle somethin' loike that." Jerrie said, glaring at me. His voice had dripped with venom, but before I could respond he started speaking again, "Munkus wants evah'one ta meet at ta tire fo' somethin' 'stremeleh 'mportant."

Alonzo shook his head recognizing the insult Jerrie had made. He rubbed his temples before replying, "Alright, Jerrie. When is the meeting going to happen?"

"It's 'appnin roight now as a mattah a fact," Jerrie replied.

"Thank you, Jerrie," Alonzo sighed, "you can go."

Jerrie saluted Alonzo before disappearing behind the red curtain. Once I had heard the car trunk close, I looked to Alonzo, who continued to rub his temples. Jenny stepped forward and placed a hand on his shoulder. He straightened quickly and muttered, "We better get going."

Alonzo practically ran out of the den, the curtain fluttering in the air as the car trunk slammed behind him. Jenny held her hands in front of her with her lips pursed. I could tell she wasn't happy with Alonzo's reaction. She could tell that Lonz wasn't just annoyed with Jerrie or with finding me a home, but something much worse. When she noticed me looking at her, she merely shook her head. Right now, she was worried.

When Jenny made her way to the curtain, I followed. We stepped out of the den in silence, but once we entered the yard there was plenty of noise. While there was barely anyone to be found when Alonzo and I first arrived, the area was teeming with cats. Kittens were weaving in and out of the crowd, more concerned with playtime than with Munkustrap's "important message". Toms and queens were carrying out side conversations, but they weren't as carefree as the kittens. I could spot Dewey and Lili at the far end of the crowd, close to the tire. A white queen, I think her name's Victoria, was standing with an orange tom with a brown vest and two kittens dancing around her feet. Misto was no where to be found, however, and I was a little disappointed about that. There was someone I liked though, and she happened to be walking towards me.

"Jezzabella!" I smiled as Gen started waving at me. When she noticed Jenny, she gave a small nod, "Hello, Miss Jenny. How are you?"

Jenny smiled and replied, "I could be worse, Genesis. How is your mother doing?"

Gen pointed behind her, "She's either with Dewey and Lili or yelling at Dad. I'd say she's under a lot of stress." She glanced in my direction, her eyes searching me for signs of distress. I'll admit, I felt horrible. I can barely keep track of what has happened so far. Long story short, I caused a whole lot of problems in less than two days.

"Jezzabella," Jenny began, "do you mind if I go look for Bomba?"

I nodded and gestured ahead of me. I expected Jenny to do something about Tugger. If she couldn't confront him, she was going to hit as close to home as she could,which meant she was going to Bomba.

As Jenny left with a quick farewell, Gen looked at me with a straight face. She didn't say anything and her hazel eyes were staring me down. It was intimidating, enough so that I started to chew my lip and inch backwards. I looked at the ground before speaking, "I'm sorry about leaving."

Gen cocked her head to the side and spoke evenly, "You shouldn't be sorry."

I looked up to her, but now instead of intimidating me, she seemed consoling. As bad as I felt about leaving, I wanted to take comfort in Gen's words. Instead, I looked down again and muttered, "I just walked out, Gen. I shouldn't have left so quickly."

"You needed to," Gen replied, "Dad could have hurt you. It's better you got out when you did." She placed a hand on my shoulder and I looked up. Gen was right and I know that she wants the best for me. She could have made me stay in the den this morning. She could have made me feel as guilty as she wanted to, but instead she was being a good friend. Gen and I smiled at each other as she led me away, "So, Jezzabella, are you excited for the 'important message today?'"

I nodded, not really thinking. Munkustrap could say anything he wanted to, and the cats would agree with him. I wasn't excited, but I was anxious.

"He can't banish you," Gen began hopefully, "he doesn't have the power."

"But his father does," I replied. I was stilled pissed about that. Munkustrap could do anything because his father was important. He couldn't be touched.

Gen sighed before answering, "Yeah, that's kind of puts a damper on things doesn't it?"

I chuckled as Gen and stood at the back of the crowd. I could see the tire over the crowd. Munkustrap was talking with Jerrie in the shadows behind the tire. As sketchy as that situation seemed, I was a bit more interested in where Alonzo was standing. Strange I know, but what reason did he have to stand in front of the tire facing the crowd?

I whispered this to Gen who answered calmly, "Lonz is Munkus's second in command."

"He is?" I found that very hard to believe. If Lonz was Munkustrap's right hand, why would he protect me from Munkustrap's attack and then tell him that he needed to be stopped?

Gen sensed my confusion and started talking, "It's not a good partnership. The years have worn on and certain situations have caused them to disagree with each other." Gen looked at me as she said that. I could pick up on the fact that my mother and I were that certain situation, so I nodded, encouraging Gen to continue, "Munkustrap is still the recognized protector of the tribe, but Alonzo fills in for him when Munkus isn't around."

"So everyone has the same amount of respect for both Lonz and Munkustrap?" I asked.

Gen nodded and I smiled. If the cats respected Lonz, maybe Lonz could influence the opinions of the other cats. My happy feelings quickly melted, though, when I saw Lili and Dewey running towards us. Gen started to wave them down, but I stood there numb. I had left Lili standing there with Bomba, arm outstretched and begging me to stay. What was she going to say to me now?

The twins talked with Gen for a moment before Lili turned to face me. Her eyes were soft as they pleaded with me. She wasn't mad, she was worried. My mouth opened and closed, unable to form words to justify my actions. Lili didn't care though and squished me in her arms.

"I thought you left forever," Lili whispered into my fur.

I hugged her back, crouching a bit to match her height, and whispered back, "I wouldn't leave for all mice in the world. "

Lili squeezed harder and Gen smiled at me. Everything was good.

"I want everybody's attention!"

Well, it was good for a little while.

Everyone turned to face Munkustrap. He was standing on the center of the tire. Alonzo stood on the right of the tire while Jerrie stood on the left. Jerrie's face was as solemn as Munkustrap's, while Alonzo searched the crowd for someone. His eyes met mine, but they didn't stay long. He was looking for someone else.

The crowd fell silent as Munkustrap cleared his throat.

**Author's Note: **_Cliffhanger! _Mwa hahaha? I am so late in writing this chapter and I wanted to let you know I'm alive. I can't write in a cockney accent to save my life, but thanks to jojoberry I'm happier with how it came out. There will be more cockney in future chapters, and maybe even future stories ;). School makes it hard to write (damn you honors), so I only have weekends to write. Anywhos, thanks to everyone reading and please I love getting reviews!

Yours till the hair dyes,

SerendipityDraemer

**P.S. Brownie Points for anyone who knows what inspired the "yours till" at the end of each chapter.**


	4. Magic Show

**Author's Note: **Chapter four! :D When I sit down to type, I get really pumped up. I know where the story is going to go and I know the conversations in my head, but then I have school, and sleep, and the dark void known as tumblr to distract me. From the comments so far, I know people like my story, but I feel guilty every time I put this off. Forgive me, but I love this story and the positivity I've received so far. I just take forever to write because I am an expert procrastinator and a perfectionist. GAH.

A special thanks to my six followers and to Sataria, jinglyjess, and Koyo Takara Kitsune for leaving comments! :D I love all your reviews/comments and I really want to know how I'm doing with my story, so please take a minute and review! **  
**

_**Disclaimer: I don't own CATS! I only own my**** OCs!**_

:":":":":":

**Chapter Four: Magic Show  
**

"So that's it?"

I hugged my legs to my chest as I sat on Jenny's couch. Lili sat on my left and Dewey sat on my right. Gen, Alonzo, Bomba, and Jenny stood around me. I looked to each of them for an answer. They all avoided my gaze, but Gen answered me honestly, as was her way, "It's four weeks. That's better than nothing."

I shook my head, "Four weeks isn't much time. It took me months to get to the Junkyard, and now I have to find my father in just four weeks?"

Dewey edged closer to me and I could feel Lili squeeze my arm. Even after I had ran away from her, she still cared about me. Forgive and forget. It's too bad I can't do that.

"We'll help you any way we can, Jezzabella," Alonzo said, stepping forward and grabbing my shoulder. _  
_

"Yeah," I groaned, "I just walk up to the first tom I see and ask 'Are you my father?'"

"Well, I know it's not me," Alonzo laughed.

"And it definitely isn't Munkus," Bomba added.

We all laughed at that. Even in this depressing situation, we had to have a little joy. I was glad they were trying to help me feel better, because right now I felt like crap. We stayed that way for a while, joking and laughing and Lili hugging my arm. It was wonderful, and I felt like I was a part of _something._ I hadn't felt that in a long time. It's too bad happiness doesn't last forever. Soon enough, Jenny had ushered everyone out of the den. They all had lives to return to. My life, however, was hanging on a line.

Jenny and I were sitting on the couch side by side. We sat silently until Jenny spoke up, "I don't have a room for you, dearie, but you can have the couch."

"Why is this room so big then?" I asked.

"I run the clinic for the Junkyard," Jenny replied.

So that's why Jenny was hesitant about taking me. Sure the main room was big, but she had no room for over-night guests, aside from the ones who needed medical attention.

"You should get some rest," Jenny said.

"I should," I replied, "but it's hard to rest when you're thinking as much as I am."

Jenny smiled at me, "That's why it's called rest."

Jenny stood from the couch and started to walk to the back of the den. Before she turned the corner, she looked at me and asked, "Do you mind sleeping there, Jezzabella?"

Yes, I did. I was an intruder in her life, why should she have to take care of me when it was my fault that I had no where to sleep? I couldn't say that though. I had come too far. I shook my head and spoke with a smile, "Not at all, Jenny. Good night."

Jenny smiled again as she said good night. When she had left, I let out a sigh as I lied down on my back. I stared above me, my eyes staring straight ahead as I allowed my mind to wander. I was lying on the couch in Jenny's den, my second home so far in the Junkyard. The odds haven't been in my favor, and I only have four weeks to tip those odds. I was thinking about how I could do that as I slowly drifted to sleep.

* * *

_Lili was hugging my waist as I stood up from our hug. Munkustrap was going to speak and I wanted to how much of his message was going to be bullshit. The entire Junkyard fell silent. Even the kittens stopped their games to listen to Munkustrap's message.  
_

_Munkustrap cleared his throat before he spoke, "Old Deuteronomy will be coming to the Junkyard in four weeks time." _

_There were few soft whispers and the shuffling of feet before Munkustrap continued to speak, "I assume we all know why."_

_The crowd had murmured with their hushed voices and silent stares. They knew he was coming because of me. I straightened as Lili squeezed me tighter and Dewey came to my side as well. Gen rested her hand on my shoulder.  
_

_"Now are there any questions about the situation?" Munkustrap asked.  
_

_"Yeah, I got a question. Can the bastard leave sooner?"_

_That's when I clenched my fists and Gen took me away from the crowd.  
_

* * *

I woke up the next day with a crick in my neck and a note next to the couch. I stood up and stretched my arms over my head while slowly twisting my head. I recalled my dream from last night. All the feelings had come back from last night: anger, frustration, hope. I wanted to believe I had a chance, and maybe I was given a slim one, but I had my doubts. I've been disappointed before, and I wasn't going to get my hopes up again.

I bent down to pick up the note. It was written in a small neat cursive and I could easily see who it belonged to. I began to read the note aloud,

_"Dear Jezzabella,_

_I needed to run out for some important errands, but I'll try my best to get back soon. In the meantime, there are some bandages that need to be rolled up. Just a bit of busy work to keep you from going stir-crazy._

_Love, Jennyanydots."_

I smiled as I looked to the table in the middle of the room. Lying on top of the small brown table were tiny mountains of bandages. I chuckled and walked over to them. I ran the gauze through my paws, reveling in their rough texture. Of course Jenny would want to keep me occupied. The work wasn't unwelcome, though, because it would certainly keep my mind off my current situation. I sighed and sat next to the table to begin the tedious work of rolling bandages.

I had sat there for maybe twenty minutes before I heard the car trunk open. I continued to wrap the bandages, assuming that the cat was just Alonzo or someone else coming to check on me.

"Excuse me."

I guess I shouldn't have assumed.

I looked up from my work to see a young female kitten. She had soft copper eyes and a beautiful coat of silver blue fur. I put down my bandages and spoke softly to the kit, "What's your name, sweetie?"

I hadn't even realized I was channeling my inner Jenny when the kit whispered, "Miss Jelly says I shouldn't talk to strangers."

Who was Miss Jelly? I was going to ask that and more when I truly saw how terrified this kit was. She stood pin straight, her ears pressed down against her head, waiting for something horrible to happen and ready to flee at any moment. Her tail bristled as she wrung out her hands. I cocked my head and wondered how to exactly approach this. There was a reason she was here, but I didn't want to scare her anymore. How could I get her to calm down and, at least somewhat, trust me? Maybe I could try Gen's approach, honesty and common sense.

"My name is Jezzabella," I said with a smile, "at least now I'm not a stranger."

Luckily, my plan worked. The kit smirked a bit, her ears rising off of her head before she murmured, "My name's Perry."

"Well, Perry," I began, "would you like to help me with the fine art of bandage rolling?" I gestured to the pile of gauze lying on the table.

Perry smiled fully this time and her demeanor entirely changed. Her shoulders slumped a bit as she walked towards me and grabbed a strip of gauze from the table. As we sat across from each other, rolling our respective strips of bandages, I could see Perry coming out of her shell. She was no longer that frightened kitten ready to run away form me, but she was talkative, happy, and a tiny Jennyanydots in the making.

When we had finally finished our work, Perry and I sat on the couch. We sat silently, eying the pile of bandages we had worked so hard to roll. As exciting as this was, I decided to pick up our conversation, "Why did you come to Jenny's den in the first place, Perry?" I asked.

"Jenny lets me help her with her work," Perry began, "I want to run a clinic like her one day."

"That must be fun," I replied.

Perry smiled and shook her head, "Yeah, but Jenny can be a...um...a bit of a handful."

I chuckled, "Really? I hadn't noticed."

We smiled at each other and I could feel a mutual friendship between us. It was nice, actually, to know that there was one more cat who was on my side. Perry, though, wasn't like the others. She didn't remember my mom, I doubt she was even here when my mom was banished. Perry had grown up being told to hate me, but she decided to get to know _me _instead of my reputation.

The car trunk opened once more. Perry and I turned just in time to see a very flustered Jenny burst through the red curtain. She was holding two large, brown, paper bags in her arms and her face was flushed pink. She looked at both of us before giving and exasperated sigh. She put the bags down, smoothed out her fur, and started to talk, "Well I see you two have met."

Jenny spoke calmly, which was incredibly out of character. It took me a minute to realize that Jenny had known Perry was going to come to her den. Jenny had wanted to arrive home before Perry got here so she could avert a crisis. Now I can cause a crisis, yay. "We have," I replied with a wink. I wanted her to know everything had gone over fine and that I had not caused a crisis.

Jenny seemed satisfied with my response, so she searched through one of her bags and produced two small mice. She handed them to Perry and me with a smile, "Eat, darlings, it's a very big day."

We accepted the mice and I immediately began to eat mine. I took large enough bites, but Perry preferred to nibble on hers. She was concentrating on something and I wanted to know what. Following her line of sight, I realized Jenny was pulling more supplies out of the bags. Everlasting there were more bandages. The two of us shared a glance, neither of us having wanted to roll anymore. I nodded to her and hoped that she had a good cover-up.

"Actually, Jenny," Perry began, "Jezzabella and I were going to see Misto's magic show today."

I nodded in agreement. Misto had mentioned something about a show before he disappeared. Even if it was a bluff, I would gladly follow Perry wherever she took me.

Jenny nodded in understanding, "Alright then, dearies, I should probably work on this myself anyway."

I didn't know whether to feel bad for Jenny or grateful to Perry, but I didn't have time as Perry grabbed my wrist and pulled me off the couch.

"Thank you, Miss Jenny," Perry called behind her, "take care."

I heard a faint farewell before Perry and I stepped out of the car and into the Junkyard. Luckily, there was no one around. It would have been an extremely awkward situation with Perry at my side. There have been times with my mother where we were heckled, "The whore and her bastard." They certainly weren't pleasant memories, and I still harbored a fear for it. We walked across the clearing and we entered pathways of the yard. Perry was confident in every step and I started to pick up my pace so I could keep up. When Perry noticed I was falling behind, she laughed and sped up, "Come on, Jezzabella."

I started to jog until we were side by side, "Maybe you should slow down."

She laughed again and continued to speed up. I started to chase after her and soon enough we broke out unto an all out race.

Perry wove through the pathways with a youthful grace, leaping and twirling through the trash. I was less than graceful, having gotten tripped up a dozen times. Perry knew the Junkyard like that back of her hand. If I took ten steps in the wrong direction I was lost for hours. That didn't mean I wasn't up for some friendly competition. Soon enough I had developed my own rhythm and was inching ahead of Perry as we burst into the clearing.

We both started laughing, each of us gasping bits of conversation. We had shouldered each other in our fit of laughter and were now looking happily at each other. Now I was confident we were friends.

From across the clearing I could hear anxious giggles. I glanced across the clearing while clutching my stomach and saw at least a dozen kittens. I straightened a bit when I saw an older white and brown queen, maybe Jenny's age. She stood protectively in front of the group, but one young kitten peeked from behind her leg. He had cream colored fur and dark brown fur lining the ears and down its back. Hiss piercing blue eyes were nervous, but I don't think it was because of me, but the kitten was nervous for Perry.

I straightened up and Perry did the same. Our thoughts of fun quickly disappeared as the older queen stepped forwards, "Perry where have you been?" She spoke with venomous curiosity, _Where have you been with that bastard?_

"I was at Miss Jenny's," Perry replied, "and I brought Jezzabella to see the show."

The queen sneered at the mention of my name and the kittens were audibly nervous. "Why would you do that, Perry? I'm sure she has other places to be," The queen growled. She glared at me with hatred, and I had to stop myself from screaming at her. _What right do you have to insult me?! What have I done wrong?!_

"Because she's my friend, Miss Jelly."

My anger dissipated when Perry said that. I smiled and looked at her. She gave me a small nod before facing the older queen once more. She no longer showed hatred, but now she was shocked. She had not expected such bitterly honest words from Perry, and she was trying to recover her words. The small kitten was no longer behind the queen's leg, but was now inching forwards. His eyes were fixed on me with curiosity. I smirked at him, and he returned the gesture. I think he trusted me, too.

When the queen had finally recovered enough to speak, a bright flash came from the far side of the clearing. Everyone responded by shielding their eyes, but when the light faded, we all opened our eyes to see one very magical cat.

Mistoffelees certainly knows how to make an entrance. A little glitter might have helped though.

All the kittens released their anxiety as they ran to Misto. He laughed as the encircled him. They clung to his legs and he laughed and smiled along with them. It wasn't the cocky shy smile I was had first been graced with, but a smile of pure joy and excitement.

Perry grabbed my wrist and pulled me towards the tiny mob of kittens. In the confusion, "Miss Jelly" didn't realize our retreat. When we reached Misto, the kittens had settled themselves in a semi circle around him. Perry and I sat next to the young kitten from earlier. He looked at me again and smiled, "Jezzabella, right?"

"The one and only," I replied.

He smiled wider, "Well, I'm the one and only Knackers." He pounded his chest in mock confidence as his eyes glimmered. I heard Perry mutter behind me, "He ain't that great."

"What'd'ya mean I'm not great?" Knackers said with an angry glare at Perry, "I'm the best cat ever!"

"Well you aren't magical, or tall, or tough," Perry said while counting off her fingers.

I smiled at their bickering, which was hushed by a small clap of Misto's hands.

We all turned to face him, and I could see how he loved to command a crowd. He had their awe and admiration, and he was happy to oblige to them. Misto scanned the crowd, and he stopped when he saw me. I smiled, and I could swear his hands had sparked, like they had when we first met. He returned my smile with his and gave me a wink.

He lingered before he turned and raised his arms to the crowd. All of the kittens were shifting in their seats, waiting for the magic to happen. I was curious, too. So far, I'd seen Misto disappear and reappear. They weren't very exciting, and I wanted to see something more.

"Kittens and cats," Misto declared, "have you all come to see something amazing?" The kittens cheered in response, urging Misto on. He began to rub his hands together, "I suggest we start of with a bang." He pushed his hands in front of him and two blue bolts of lightning shot out from his hands. We all fell back, surprised at the sudden energy. I looked to Perry, completely awe struck by the magic. When the lightning faded, she glanced at me and grinned from ear to ear. I knew this was going to be a good show.

The show continued on and every magic trick I've ever seen was performed, even some I haven't seen. There were card tricks, dice tricks, levitation, and conjuration tricks. Kittens would paw at the imaginary birds and gasped when a hat floated into the air, thus leading to giggles when it landed a kitten's head. Misto performed each trick with a silent grace. Each move seemed to come effortlessly to him, as his arms floated in the air and a burst of light came from his fingers. He leapt from one side of the crowd to another, making sure everyone could see. He was a sight to see, and...why was I checking him out again?

I shook my head, purging the thoughts from my mind, when I noticed Misto was standing entirely still. The crowd had fallen silent, and Misto spoke once more, "For my final trick, I'll need a volunteer."

All the kittens leapt at the chance to play a role in the magic. Paws waved excitedly in the air and voices called out to be picked. It was amazing to see such excitement on each face, I couldn't help but smile.

Misto scanned the crowd before pointing at me, "How about you, madame? Fancy a bit of magic?"

My mouth gaped as Misto nodded at me. Of all the kittens, why did he chose me? All the kittens looked at me in jealousy as I slowly stood up. Perry smiled at me as I walked to the front and took my place next to Misto.

"Now what is your name, kind madame?" Misto asked as he gestured to the crowd.

"Jezzabella," I said confidently.

"Well, Jezzabella," Misto said as he pulled out a sheet, "would you be so kind as to hold this sheet?"

I took the red satin sheet from him and ran it through my paws. It was so smooth, yet it had been worn from use. Misto smiled and stood with his arms outstretched. "Now toss the sheet over my head."

I obliged, and the kittens sat with curiosity as the red sheet enveloped him. I could make out the outline of his arms and his head, and I could swear he was smiling under the sheet.

"Now would you please confirm my presence underneath this sheet?"

The kittens giggled as I realized what Misto wanted me to do, _touch him. _Why did this bother me? I mean its not like I'd touch his crotch. Wait, hold up, why is _that _the first thing I thought of touching? Everlasting, Jezzabella, just no. Cautiously, I reached out and touched his arm, earning more giggles from the kittens.

"Thank you, Jezzabella," he replied with a nod. "Now, what's the magic word?!" Misto shouted to the crowd.

"PRESTO!" They shouted back. My ears perked at the burst of energy. I turned to Misto and heard him mutter a small presto himself, before the sheet fell to the crowd in a glittery cloud. Always with the glitter.

The kittens cheered and a few pawed at the sheet to make sure Misto really wasn't there. Perry and Knackers came to my side, laughing and pushing each other. Perry smiled up at me and elbowed my side, "Wasn't that good, Jezzabella?"

"Yeah, Perry," I smiled, "it was."

"It was unbelievable!" Knackers shouted, "I mean, he just disappeared!"

"I wish I could do that with you," Perry snickered, earning a glare from the young tom.

They bickered once more, but they were just another noise in the loud chatter of the kittens. Everything was silenced though my a sharp voice, "Time to go, kittens!"

Groans filled the air as most of the kittens ran to the source of the voice, the white and brown queen. Perry and Knackers lingered a moment. Perry looked up at me with uncertainty. I nodded, letting her know she could leave me. She gave me a quick hug before running off and Knackers waved before he followed suit. When all the kittens were together, the queen gave me one last glare before rushing the kittens off. I was left alone when I realized I still didn't know how to get back to Jenny's. I have to stop making a habit of getting lost.

"You look a bit confused there, Jez."

I turned around to see Misto over my shoulder. I jumped back and Mistoffelees smiled. I punched him in the shoulder and watched surprise form on his face instead, "Another magic trick, Misto?"

"No," he laughed, "you're just really easy to sneak up on." We smiled and stood awkwardly before Misto spoke again, "You should be my magician's assistant more often."

I smirked, "I wouldn't mind that," I said, "but what about 'Miss Jelly'?"

"Jellylorum is a softy once you get to know her," Misto replied.

"Well, my reputation precedes me."

"I've gotten to know you, and you're a softy, too."

I looked down and smiled. I couldn't tell if I was blushing, I had never blushed before, so what was different about Misto? I took a minute to compose myself before I answered, "I'm not soft, Misto."

"And why not?"

I glanced up at him, "Because when you grow up like I did, you don't have a chance to be soft."

Misto was silent for a moment. I had shot him down when he was trying to be nice. What I hadn't expected was him to step forward and make me look at him, "Why don't you start trying now?"

I looked into his eyes, a deep blue, and I whispered, "Four weeks isn't much time. I don't want to get my hopes up when I leave."

"You gotta try, don't you?" Misto asked as he stepped back a bit. We were still close, but he wasn't holding me anymore, "I think it's all gonna work out fine."

I smiled and I had to hug him. He was one of my true friends. I lunged forward to catch him in the hug, and he had to catch his balance so we wouldn't fall. "Thanks, Misto."

He wrapped his arms around me and I relished the feeling, "You're welcome, Jez."

:":":":":":

**Author's** **Note: **THE FEELS! I was giggling like a school girl when I wrote this. I wish my (nonexsistant) love life was like this.

Magic show! (/^o^)/***PRESTO! The crotch part got awkward, but awkward Jezzie is awkward, especially when she's around Misto. ;D Basically, Misto is the Rum Tum Tugger of magic, cause he's cool like that (and uses glitter).

And I love Perry/Knackers, and I'm thinking about a role they'll play later or in a later story.

I had a whole load of fun writing this, considering I got comments about the epic cliffhanger from the last chapter. I'm so sorry updates are slow! School is a bummer and my weekends are packed. And being a procrastinating, easily distracted, perfectionist doesn't help.

Reviews/comments are lovely to see, my boos!

Yours till the pen inks,

SerendipityDreamer

**P.S. Brownie Points for anyone who knows what inspired the "yours till" at the end of each chapter. (Hint: It's a book series)  
**

**P.P.S. Now that there's a time limit on Jezzie's time in the Junkyard, I would love hearing guesses about who her father is. Guest reviewer eld mcm guessed Plato early on, so I'm just going to keep track of the guesses. Who knows you may be right ;)  
**

**Plato: 1; Everyone else: 0  
**

**Vote it up!  
**


	5. Where the Author Feels Horribly Guilty

**So, I've finally become the author I hate: The one that posts a chapter for a note. An update that spells out bad things for the story.**

**But this note isn't a goodbye. It's more of a "I'll see you later."  
**

**For me to be happy with my writing is for me to constantly write. I know I love a story when I can't think of anything else _but _my characters. I've lost that feeling with Demeter's Daughter. However, I'm not letting this story go. I'm not happy with the chapters, so I'm going to revamp them. The plot and ideas of each chapter are going to stay, but the execution and organization is going to remain largely the same. I'm going to start from square one: Delete chapters 2-4 and edit chapter 1. I don't know what'll happen next. That's the wonder of writing, I guess. At some point, the story controls you and takes you where you never thought you'd go.  
**

**Yet, I feel horribly bad about this.  
**

**So, here's a treat.  
**

**For my readers, I've had you guys vote on who Jez's dad might be. My gift to you, dialogue between them.  
**

**_First: This is preliminary. There is little detail, and Jezzie's dad's name is NOT revealed_  
**

**_Second: This is susceptible to change when I revamp the story  
_**

**_Third: This will remain until I update Chapter One. Then it's gone.  
_**

"Why?" I choked out, "after all these years..."

"I was wrong, Jez," he began, "I was afraid."

"You don't think Mom was afraid!?" I yelled, "You don't think I was scared!?" He looked mortified, but I continued. I could finally say everything that I had locked away. "For years..._years..._we were exiled and hated. But now, _oh _just because you're sorry makes this all better!?"

"I never said..."

"No! You're right. You never said anything."

"Jezzie..."

"Don't call me that," I growled, "Only people I actually _care _about can call me that."

He walked away.

I couldn't have felt happier.

**Take it as a late holiday present...  
**

**I thank you, truly, from the bottom of my heart. This was my first fan fiction. I'm not going to abandon it and I'm not going to abandon you.  
**

**Yours till the heart beats,  
**

**SerendipityDreamer  
**


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